The Lakelands Train Station is still an important part of Mandurah’s future, according to Canning MP Andrew Hastie. Not only for commuters, but for those who bought in the suburb on the expectations that there would be a train station built. Which is why, the federal politician is still working on making it a reality. Read more: “Ideally, we wanted it built five years ago,” Mr Hastie said in the wake of Bill Shorten’s visit to Mandurah last Wednesday. “But my next task is to deliver the funding for the business case and that's what I'm fighting for at the moment. “If we can get the business case funding up, then that sets the conditions for federal funding and state funding – which is what I'll be seeking.” With population booming in the northern part of Mandurah, Mr Hastie said it would “make life a lot less stressful”. As well as servicing Lakelands, the station would cater for the surrounding suburbs of Madora Bay, Greenfields and Meadow Springs, and “importantly it would take cars off the road”. “It's about innovative thinking,” Mr Hastie said. “For some reason, people in WA think you need a train station with a 1000-bay carpark. “The whole beauty of the trains on the east coast is that they are very accessible by foot or by bus. “I think that's the way people should consider the Lakelands train station.” Mr Hastie said another thing to note was the proposed Mandurah Train Station carpark which the McGowan Government promised at the last election. While he said it was a good idea, he considered it as “breaking a promise”. “They committed $20 million at the election, and then low and behold when it came time for the budget papers last year, they only allocated $16 million and the catch was that the Federal Government had to tip in another $16 million,” he said. “And so I guess my question to the City of Mandurah – particularly and especially to the Labor councillors like Fred Riebeling and others – why aren't you holding the state government to account? “I'll tell you why, it's because Seagull Fred Riebeling is too busy trying to snatch up your hot chips and not keeping the state government to account. “You should be representing the City of Mandurah.”

Mandurah bound: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Canning MP Andrew Hastie take a selfie with a passenger on the Mandurah line before passing the site of the long-awaited Lakelands station. Photo: Marta Pascual Juanola.

The Lakelands Train Station is still an important part of Mandurah’s future, according to Canning MP Andrew Hastie.